-

-
Although this could very well be a picture of me finding a new treasure at a favorite nursery, it's actually an illustration by David Catrow for a children's book called Plantzilla.

Thursday, March 19, 2015

It Would Have Been Enough! The Northwest Horticultural Society Spring Plant Sale.

Dayenu (Hebrew:דַּיֵּנוּ) is a song that is part of the Jewish holiday of Passover. The word "Dayenu" means approximately "it would have been enough for us", "it would have been sufficient", or "it would have sufficed" (day in Hebrew is "enough", and -enu the first person plural suffix, "to us"). This traditional up-beat Passover song is over one thousand years old. The earliest full text of the song occurs in the first medieval haggadah, which is part of the ninth-century Seder Rav Amram.

I often think of how lucky gardeners in the Pacific Northwest are to live where and when we do!  If we only had one of the best climates for gardening and didn't have amazing nurseries, it would have been enough.  If we had fabulous nurseries but had no plant explorers who discover and propagate new plants to bring us joy, it would have been enough. You get the gist, we are blessed with a very garden friendly climate, stellar nurseries, plantsmen and women who bring unusual plants into the trade and now we start the season of plant sales to which these plantspeople and nurseries bring what they've grown to one location.  O.K. so, it's not the deliverance from bondage in  Egypt but it's pretty spectacular stuff for plant addicts!

The first plant sale I attended this year was the Northwest Horticulture Society sale at the Center for Urban Horticulture in Seattle.
Right away I was greeted by this podophyllum.  

"This Chinese podophyllum is quite distinct from other species, with two boldly cut leaves, side by side, like angels wings sprouting in the moss. Rare to see in the trade.  I love the celedon color and the exotic shimmer these bring to the woodland.  Require deep shade and even moisture in the summer and good drainage in the winter." 

Had I read the description, one would have come home with me but in just looking at the leaves which aren't as darkly marked as P. delavayi, I decided to pass. Fortunately, the tag has the grower's name and number so perhaps...
  So many plants, so little garden space left!

There were so many things to see that I almost missed 

This lady!  Fortunately, she had already shopped and saw me.  Neither of us knew that the other was planning  on going to the sale.  What fun to run into Alison and her haul.

This was my first time to attend this sale and the room was full of good stuff but I thought that there would have been a few more vendors.  I'd only seen about a third of the sale as there were more vendors outside and in this greenhouse.




Even if this were the only plant sale of the spring, it would have been enough.  Notice that the Heronswood sale is coming up on March 28!  Anyone else planning on going?

 Inside the foyer of the Elizabeth C. Miller Botanical Library, (I think)  The N.H.C. had put together a cutting display of plants of interest at this time of year.  Reminded me of the display at the Portland Yard, Garden, and Patio show.


The tables went on and on.

Love that large Schefflera delavayi leaf!

Heading out, I decided to explore the garden a bit.  Here's a future gardener admiring the daffodils.

It was a beautiful, sunny and warm day for the beginning of March (60 degrees!)


Interesting combinations.


Here's a list of vendors present.   They're photographs because I'm too lazy to type them all.  A few of these are places that I've yet to visit but based on their offerings at the sale, that will be remedied soon!

So, what did I not already have in my garden except for that podophyllum?   A cool new rhododendron hybrid called "Wine and Roses" and three more Cardiocrinum giganteum to add to the group.

 On the way to the car, I had to stop and admire Yucca 'Bright Star'
 A nice large specimen but it has that acne problem that drives some gardeners to distraction (Loree.)
The one gallon that stayed in my greenhouse had far fewer spots than those that lived outside but still had some.  I love this plant and hope that a dermatologist will soon come up with a solution to it's unfortunate winter and spring complexion.


19 comments:

  1. And those of us who live east of the PNW are lucky to have so many gardening friends living there who will eagerly send us the "extra" plants from their amazing gardens!

    Pro blogging tip: If you really want a text list from a photograph of text, look for a site that does free OCR. Takes 5 seconds of effort, and no typing required. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Which reminds me, would you click on the "view full profile" button on the right, press contact me, which opens an email, and send me your address?

      Thanks for the tip; it'll save a lot of time!

      Delete
  2. It was such a sweet surprise seeing you there! I've only been to this sale twice, my first time was my first year in this house. There were some good vendors, a lot of them will be at the Heronswood sale too. I spoke to the young man who runs Keeping It Green, and he said that he allows locals to pick up plants at his nursery if they want (all of his sales are mail order, except for the sales he attends like this one.) That might make an interesting field trip!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It was a delight to see you! I'd love to go to Keeping it green sometime! Dying to see his garden!

      Delete
  3. I was at that plant sale as well too. I hardly ever look up from the plants to see who else might be around... Being early in the season, their Japanese inspired court yard was not yet in full glory except for the clump of giant black bamboo I gush over every time. I enjoyed the passover reference; although it's not the deliverance from Egyptian bondage, I do feel my spirit is being set free at these plants sales.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I must go back and visit the garden later in the season! Glad you enjoyed the Passover reference and I agree that these sales, especially the early ones, really are wonderful! Sorry I missed seeing you at the sale!

      Delete
  4. Nice sale, you've got me looking ahead to the HPSO sale, I can't wait!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's the sale of sales and it's only five weeks away! Hooray!

      Delete
  5. One of the good things too about PNW is that the climate is very similar to here so whatever goodies you have there we have the high hope that it is likely to do well here too :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. One of the pleasures of plant sales is running into our fellow gardeners!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I think I need to convince (coerce) my husband to schedule a vacation in the PNW next spring...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh yes indeed! I highly recommend coming when the Hardy Plant Society of Oregon sale is happening (Hortlandia) as it is such an amazing experience! You'll have him wanting to move up here in no time!

      Delete
  8. Plant sale season is upon us! We will try to get to a few this year, but every time we go to one, we come away with something, even though we always say we don't need any more plants. I guess gardening is an addiction.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So true! I always say that I don't want to buy any more plants as I already have more than I need but somehow there's always something at those sales that, upon seeing it, I cannot live without!

      Delete
  9. Haha, plant acne! That would be very annoying..

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hard to believe that there are nurseries in your area that you have yet to visit. I'll be watching for those posts. Looks like you could just snip those zits, as they are all on the lower leaves.

    ReplyDelete

Thanks so much for taking the time to comment! I love to hear your thoughts.